On June 27, 2007, Apple and AT&T sold the first iPhone. Fast-forward four years, and Verizon Wireless is gearing up to release the iPhone 4 on February 10th. This marks the merge of the maker of the nation’s most popular wireless devices and the nation’s most reliable network. Apple and Verizon make a formidable team.

For years, AT&T held exclusive rights to the iPhone. Understandably, the promise of an alternate network to carry it has caused a stir across the nation. Newspaper articles, online discussions, and television ads concerning the Verizon iPhone steadily increased leading up to its release. But does all the hype have any merit?

When Verizon announced the date of the iPhone release on January 11th, eager Verizon customers began devising plans to get their hands on the fast-selling devices. No one knew how long the lines would be or if stores would be prepared for the influx of orders, but it was assumed that the sale would be record-breaking.

At 3 AM on February 3rd, Verizon offered a limited number of iPhones available for presale online. Although the number of phones available was not released, the supply ran out around 7:30 PM. At 8:10, the Verizon website officially declared that the presale had ended.

What does this say about the sale? Was the supply large enough to accept repetitive orders for 17 hours? Or did the iPhone demand fail to meet expectations? What is all the hype about, anyway?

Most of the publicity surrounding the Verizon iPhone centers on the fact that Verizon is the nation’s most reliable network. This supposedly means fewer dropped calls and a wider range of service, but AT&T is a strong network, too.

"AT&T is a great server," says junior Katie Crowley. "I get really good service everywhere I go… I see no reason to change it". Despite the satisfaction of countless AT&T devotees like Crowley, a survey conducted by investingdaily.com stated that up to 16 percent of AT&T customers would switch to Verizon with the release of the Verizon iPhone.

Junior Courtney Vogel, a longtime Verizon customer, has eagerly awaited news of the Verizon iPhone release. "I’ll buy it because I’ve always wanted one, but I never had AT&T," said Vogel. "I’m a Mac girl through and through, so why wouldn’t I get it?"

Many Verizon customers likely feel the same, but until the sales data is released, Verizon will keep playing up the promotion.

There may be an ulterior motive for the increased publicity. During the buzz surrounding the release, Verizon quietly announced the end of its "New Every Two" plan. This program offered customers up to $100 of Verizon credit to be used for an upgrade at the end of two years. Naturally, this news was pushed aside so the iPhone could take center stage.

Verizon declined to comment on the preparations for the iPhone release and any sales expectations, but most recent press has predicted it to be the biggest sale to date for the company. The phone will essentially be the same as its AT&T counterpart, with a slight difference in volume buttons. The Verizon iPhone will also lack a simultaneous voice and data system. The prices remain the same, $199 for the 16GB, and $299 for the 32GB phones.

Through the years, new products have come and gone. A few months of press and record sales and then we move on to the next big thing. The Verizon iPhone 4 may forever change the ever-growing world of smart-phones. But then again, it may slide by and instantly become embedded in our existing culture, with no more than a few days of fanfare. Only time will tell.